Los Angeles Dodgers’ fans have a very long Christmas list this winter.
One of the greatest fan bases in all of sports have been starved for a title for the last 32 years. They’ve been teased by back-to-back World Series appearances and toyed with after a franchise record 106 wins led to a first round loss in the playoffs.
The fact that the loss came to the eventual Champion Washington Nationals does not provide solace for Dodgers’ fans. The team has lost to the eventual champion for the last four seasons, and the Nationals victory over the Houston Astros in seven games was just another reminder of how close the team came in 2017 to hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy.
This offseason boasts one of the best free agent classes and recent memory, and the Dodgers have plenty of money, prospects, and talent on their roster to make a big splash.
For fans, this offseason is critical if the Dodgers want to finally get over the hump and win their first Fall Classic since 1988. The Dodgers saw firsthand what their weaknesses were in their five-game series with the Nationals, and now find themselves in a position to improve those areas this winter.
Financial excuses should be a thing of the past. The Dodgers have stayed under the luxury tax threshold each of the last two seasons, and have close to $30 million in spending before they eclipse the limit this season. Even if they were to go over the tax, the penalty would be relatively small for a team that leads the majors in ticket sales every year.
It should come as no surprise to anyone reading this that the Dodgers are interested in the top three free agents on the market: Gerrit Cole, Anthony Rendon, and Stephen Strasburg. Reports have indicated that the team has met with all three of those players in recent weeks.
If the Dodgers were to sign any of those “big three” free agents, it would certainly go against the modus operandi for President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman. Friedman is notorious for finding value in players and free agents, a strategy going back to his days with the small market Tampa Bay Rays.
In his five years in charge of the Dodgers front office, the biggest free agent signing was A.J. Pollock to a five-year, $60 million contract. Sources have indicated that the Dodgers have quietly been shopping Pollock this offseason, but with his injury-shortened 2019 season, his play in the postseason (0-for-14 with 11 strikeouts), and the size of his salary, its unlikely the Dodgers will be able to find any takers.
There are two positions the Dodgers are looking to spend money on this offseason: starting pitching and third base.
In addition to Cole, Strasburg, or possibly re-signing Hyun-Jin Ryu, the Dodgers were interested in starting pitcher Zack Wheeler, who just signed a five-year, $118 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, Kevin Gausman, and Ian Happ.
As the winter meetings commence this week in nearby San Diego, the Dodgers will most certainly dive into discussions with rival executives regarding the hot corner.
Justin Turner is under contract for one more season, but has already said he would welcome a position change to first or second base for the 2020 season. In addition to Rendon, the Dodgers are also interested in 34-year-old free agent Josh Donaldson, and have inquired with the Cubs about Kris Bryant should Chicago make him available in a trade.
Fans might not want to hear this, but there is no clear-cut answer on what the Dodgers are going to do this offseason. They could outbid other teams for Cole, Strasburg, or Rendon, or they could balk at the asking prices and move on to contingency plans. That could mean lesser free agents, or major trades for names like Mookie Betts or Francisco Lindor.
They could also stand pat, and make marginal improvements. The Dodgers won a National Leage best 106 games in 2019, and could re-sign Ryu and Rich Hill and run it back again next year.
In a recent interview with Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, Friedman said he was open to exploring multiple options, but didn’t feel the need to “shake things up just to shake things up.”
Friedman’s strategy has worked well before, as evident by the Dodgers seven consecutive division titles and two World Series appearances. He might not change his philosophy now, but as always, he will explore every option and pull the trigger if necessary. Regardless, the next few days should paint a clearer pitcure of what the Dodgers might do, and the free agency market overall.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Source: NBC Los Angeles
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